


Just Let Go

by rupphires



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Drifting, Gen, general family angst, sibling angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-07 23:03:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14091645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rupphires/pseuds/rupphires
Summary: Jake follows the rabbit instead of Amara.





	Just Let Go

**Author's Note:**

> this was basically just me wishing Uprising didn't try to mirror the first movie with mako/amara following the rabbit, but kind of indulging in jake's issues with family and also mako mori deserved better

Jake could hear her struggling and the frustrated “why can’t I get this right?” from Amara. Drifting was complicated, especially when it required trust and the ability to let go. Amara had never had to do anything like this before, never had to be open like that with anyone else. 

“I’m not really good with emotional stuff,” she said, pulling off her helmet to reveal her sweaty forehead and tousled hair, “but I’m sorry about your sister. Or, half-sister. Whatever.” 

His mouth twitched and he sighed, an image of Mako’s disappointing face flashing through his head unwanted. She’d expected so much out of him and he’d only failed her again and again and again. Now she’d never see if he ever did make something of himself. “My sister, yeah.” He pulled himself up onto the post, picking up the secondary helmet. “You have to relax when you go into the drift.” 

She put her helmet back on, eyes tired from days of trying to catch up and prove she deserved to be there. She was probably too worn out to even do this properly, but sometimes, when things really went bad, you didn’t have a chance to rest. You just had to fight to live. He was hoping they could all get it together soon and she wouldn’t have to worry about any of that. 

Pressing the holo-buttons in front of him, he started up the drift sequence. “Drifting is a connection, you have to be ready to step inside the head of the person you’re piloting with. You have to trust in each other, because if you live, you live together, and if you die, most of the time you die together.” He could feel the pull of the drift already, like a cold, damp breeze raising goosebumps on the back of his head. All you had to do was let go. 

Flashing images of kids on a playground, running around each other, the feeling of sun on your skin, funnel cake. Happiness, playful competition, family. Family. Mako, just within reach, blue dye worked into the ends of her hair, a smile full of teeth. The floor beneath them shifted. You have to let go. The blue began to melt away, revealing a scene of color, a restaurant, someplace small. She was telling him about Danger, about closing the breach, about Raleigh. She was animated, full of life, free. She’d saved the world. _Jake_. Amara’s voice cut into the side of his head. No. Another flash of blue. Stacker was there, the rare smile pulling at the edge of his mouth as he watched Jake train, Mako taking notes from the sidelines, her eyes on fire. Not in a bad way, just passionate, itching to be in the ring herself. His dad’s approving eyes holding his own. “I’ll be a little less worried about the future with a pilot such as yourself.” _Jake_. 

Amara could feel it. She was being pulled towards the dock, overshadowed with his own emotions. Responsibility. Rebellion. Regret. _Jake, you need to let go._ She could feel it, an ominous memory looming over everything else. _I can’t save them_. I can’t save them. _I can’t save them_. 

Stacker’s face overlayed with that of her own father’s. Sacrifice. Death. She was a little girl and it was a sunny day. 

_Her copter is going down. Honey, it’s okay, I have you, just jump. Nate, we have to move! Don’t be scared! They saved the world and you can’t even save your sister. Too late, too late, too late_. 

Electricity surged through both of their bodies, manually ending their drift. Falling to their knees, covered in sweat, manually yanked out of their own memories. Jake could barely breathe, he’d been so close. Reality was cold and heavy, his body could barely seem to stand up. Amara was shaking. She’d drifted deeper than she ever had before, but she’d been out of control, they’d both been completely out of control. Clarity strove to break through her eyes and Nate’s fuzzy outline began to clear. He was intense, but obviously worried. 

“What were you two _thinking?_ ”


End file.
